Heal 'em Up & Move 'em Out

Topic:  Restructuring in Health Care Settings, Strategies for Survival.   Despite the inception of wound care/healing centers and specialists, the healing time for wounds is still quite lengthy.  In addition, with rising health care costs, changes in reimbursement criteria with stringent regulatory controls, and increasing CMS investigations into wound care billing practices, we must Heal 'em Up, and Move 'em Out. Purpose: To show that investment in higher priced evidenced based products, evidenced based clinician and patient education, bring increased patient compliance and subsequent faster healing. Objectives: 1. Decrease wound healing time. 2. Increased patient satisfaction with treatment results and knowledge of own disease, self management and independence. 3. Increased physician satisfaction and trust in staff.  4.  Increased referrals to your health care setting. Outcome:  The poster will describe the results of eight case studies that include patient education, products used and short healing times.  In addition, the poster will include the development of staff training in the basics of wound management.  It is hoped, by this author, that publication of the information presented will result in fewer sole source contracts by creating a greater awareness that products purchased from more than one vendor (albeit for a little more) will actually save money in the long run and heal wounds faster.